jonnybravo1976

I have looked over a lot of the posts. I have seen a lot of different options. I am not looking to spend $5000.00 on a super charger. So what is the best bang for the buck? Cold air intake or the EVO cat back exhaust? Keep in mind I am working on a 2004 tl3.2 auto…

Excelerate

iTrader: (1)

AEM CAI, P2R TB Spacer, UR Pulley, Progress RSB, Comptech Springs.

MugenR

for good HP, get the AEM CAI and UR pulley, Pro-cats are a big bump in power as well.

stillhere153

iTrader: (1)

I would do atlp or greddy evo2 catback for roughly 11hp, aem cai for a couple more, p2r spacer for a couple more, ur pulley for a couple more, thats 15-18hp

Fulani has a TL

iTrader: (1)

If you tryna spend just a few hundred go with AEM CAI and P2R spacer. If you wanna spend a lil more go with UR Pulley (If you don't plan on running a system). and if you got another grand after that go with ATLP!!!!

BTW welcome to the Forum!

bmaczo6

iTrader: (1)

This is the first I have heard that Progress RSB and Comptech Springs would add HP. You learn something new everyday.

stillhere153

iTrader: (1)

^

I hate cars

Best bang for the buck would have to be:

Gut all three cats= 30hp for free.

Homemade CAI by removing factory plumbing= free.

Nitrous- 50-175hp $800 for a new kit that will work with the DBW.
Not sure I would do two of the three but they would work very nicely.

wasupdog

iTrader: (2)

back in the day when there weren't many mods out everyone did the rsb (we have 2 brands available now) and cai. both are great mods and they are both cheap too, and u can install them both yourself (if u can't install the rsb yourself take that and everything else to the shop, the cai is harder).

TCM 01 CL-S

UR Pulley

TylerT

iTrader: (1)

Pulley, CAI, e-shift procats, greddy evo exhaust / ATLP exhaust, P2R spacer....

princelybug

iTrader: (16)

TB Spacer (low-end torque)/CAI (high-end hp). That's bang for the buck for ya! Also, installation is made more convenient, since these two parts coincide!

XxAfG786xX

what they said lol

ballerjai

how much does a UR Pulley typically go for?

TylerT

iTrader: (1)

You missed a fantastic deal in the Classifieds .. a guy here was selling it for $120 . They typically go for $215 w/ belt from Excelerate (if I remember correctly).

Also, it's very beneficial ... throttle feels very light and the car definitely pulls a little harder.

Excelerate

iTrader: (1)

Sorry, all I saw was best bang for the buck in the post. I didn't look at the title.

Excelerate

iTrader: (1)

https://acurazine.com/forums/sponsored-sales-group-buys-10/unorthodox-racing-special-pricing-event-acura-cl-tl-rl-mdx-tsx-301566/

screaminz28

iTrader: (1)

I've actually found the CAI to be better for low end torque than high end hp. Granted the CAI does make gains in the highend, but it makes a LOT down low as well. I picked up over 20 ft. lbs of torque at 3300 rpms. It picked up power and torque EVERYWHERE. I figured at first that it might have been placebo effect that the car was faster with the CAI, but 20ft. lbs down low DEFINITELY makes a difference in drivability. Now I know why my mileage went up too. Below is a before and after dyno of my car. Only mod is the CAI.

I hate cars

The faith you guys put in dyno numbers... I guess it's an import thing. Anyone actually go to the track anymore?

bmaczo6

iTrader: (1)

They would but they are afraid of getting embarrassed by an old Buick.

FiveLiterCheater

Damn, those are some nice gains from just a CAI...is that auto or MT?

stillhere153

iTrader: (1)

I sure didn't
staring at this shiny wheel right now

ayethetiense

Im pretty skeptical about the TB spacers. Can anyone offer an honest unbiased opinion?

screaminz28

iTrader: (1)

Just haven't made it to the track yet, but yes, I do go. I was curious to know if what I felt was a true gain or placebo due to the added noise. Now I know why my gas mileage has improved too. That extra 20 ft. lbs down low lets me cruise in 6th at a lower speed. Say what you will about dyno numbers not meaning anything, but usually that is spoken by someone that didn't get the numbers they wanted or expected. It is a valid and proven evaluation method and tuning tool.

For exmple, on my graph, you can see how power peaked and then dropped for some reason. The went even richer right there for some reason. If it had been a half a point leaner it would have made another 5 or 6 hp peak. I'll be goig back to the dyno when they get their obd2 monitoring equipment, and I should be able to also monitor timing.

I hate cars

My dyno numbers were fine on both cars. 210 on the Acura is exactly where is should be and the 602 pull on the Buick made me stop due to the stock bottom end.

Dynos are good for tuning and comparing numbers on the same day at roughly the same time. If you've ever run a car on the dynojet and then down the track with a wideband, things tend to lean out a bit at the track due to increased load.

It's just that 20lbs down low for a CAI is not possible unless your stock setup had something wrong like a seriously clogged filter.

Assuming the stock setup was ok, gas mileage can't improve either.

Think about it, if the stock induction offers a restriction, it's not going to be measurable on the freeway with the throttle barely cracked cruising at 2,500rpm. If it somehow does make a restriction at that speed, you open the throttle more to compensate to maintain the same speed. You're still ingesting the same amount of air and fuel to maintain a given speed so how does fuel economy vary?

On an old carbed setup a clogged filter can make it run rich. Not so with fuel injection. Not only that, but any changes in airflow will be compensated for by the 02 sensors.

screaminz28

iTrader: (1)

I agree that with the increased load of an actual drag run, it will be leaner. However, for some reason the car goes real rich. At the very peak at 6200 rpms, it was running 12.8:1 and then a/f drops to 11.1:1 and it loses 5hp.

I also ran with an open throttle body once and it made the same as stock until 5400 and then power shot up to a little less than what it made with the CAI.

I'm curious, if my gas mileage can't improve, then how did it? Also, I can verify that I can cruise in 6th gear at nearly 10mph less speed than previously.

Perhaps there was something wrong with the car before the intake, but it still ran acceptable, and made power on par with most others.

Are you saying that an intake restriction will only be a restriction from a certain rpm and above, and that until you reach that point there will be no gain in any rpm before that? I disagree, and the same doesn't hold true for exhaust. Exhaust can be a restriction and limit peak power, but by changing headers, you can gain peak power AND power and torque throughout the powerband.

I hate cars

I'm questioning the 20lbs from a low rpm.

Airflow gets higher with rpms and throttle opening therefore restriction gets worse at higher rpms and high throttle opeining. Sure, you CAN have a restriction to airflow at idle but it's safe to assume it's not measurable.

Headers have proven to be restrictive on these cars, much more so than the intake which is why they show more peak power and more under the curve also. They will also give you more MPG because the engine has to pump the exhaust down the system. When you get a restriction in the intake, the car just makes less power.

It takes a certain amount of air to make a certain amount of power. If you have a resrictive air intake, you crack the throttle open a little more to maintain speed, you compensate for the restriction, airflow into the motor is exactly the same and you make exactly the same amount of power with exactly the same MPG. The only place this doesn't apply is WOT.

The only way you could possibly see an improvement in mpg is if the IAT sensor sees colder air and advances timing a little. Theoretically colder air will give you less mileage but many other factors more than compensate for it.

I'm not sure what you mean that you can cruise 6th gear at 10mph less than before.

My A/F also dropped to 11.0 at ~5,500 and stayed there to redline. It goes against what a lot of people say about new cars not going rich at WOT.

screaminz28

iTrader: (1)

I'm wondering now if part of the big gain IS the IAT advancing timing...

Before the CAI, if I were trying to cruise in 6th gear, I had to be going at least 50 - 52mph. Now I can cruise at 40mph in 6th with no lugging of the motor.

Did your car noticeably drop power at any particular rpm? mine went rich at 5500 and then went even RICHER at 6300. You can see on the graph where power was still climbing and then it just dropped about 5hp and kept going. Really weird.

I hate cars

Mine lost a little power right when it went rich. My rpms were lower than yours but I suspect something was off with the dyno itself. I ran the motor into the revlimiter and the dyno chart shows the power still climbing at 7,100rpm and I'm pretty sure the limiter is at 6,900. 11.0 was as rich as my dyno went and from 5,500 up it was flat lined.

The IAT sounds like a reasonable guess. More timing at the lower rpms would definately show up as a good torque and mileage increase.